A German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.A German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.A German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.
- Won 2 Oscars
- 7 wins & 2 nominations total
Ben Alexander
- Kemmerich
- (as Kemmerick)
Walter Rogers
- Behn
- (as Walter Browne Rogers)
Slim Summerville
- Tjaden
- (as 'Slim' Summerville)
G. Pat Collins
- Bertinck
- (as Pat Collins)
Zasu Pitts
- Frau Bäumer - Silent Version Trailer only
- (scenes deleted)
Ernie Adams
- 2nd Medic Orderly
- (uncredited)
Best Picture Winners by Year
Best Picture Winners by Year
See the complete list of Best Picture winners. For fun, use the "sort order" function to rank by IMDb rating and other criteria.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWith the loss of limbs and gory deaths shown rather explicitly, this is undoubtedly the most violent American film of its time. This is because the Production Code was not strictly enforced until 1934 and also because Universal Pictures deemed the subject matter important enough to allow the violence to be seen. The scene where a soldier grabs a strand of barbed wire and then is blown up by an artillery shell, leaving only his hands still grabbing the barbed wire, was told to director Lewis Milestone by a former German soldier working as an extra, who saw that happen during a French attack on his position during the war. Milestone used it in the film.
- GoofsWhen Paul talks to the dead soldier in the pit, the soldier is breathing visibly and at one point his eyes blink.
- Quotes
Paul Bäumer: You still think it's beautiful to die for your country. The first bombardment taught us better. When it comes to dying for country, it's better not to die at all.
- Crazy creditsLater reissues of the film mentioned that the film was an Academy Award winner in the opening credits.
- Alternate versionsThe Library of Congess also restored a sound version, 133 minutes long, which is the version occasionally shown on American TV.
- ConnectionsEdited into No Greater Glory (1934)
Featured review
"All Quiet on the Western Front" is important filmmaking that still rings true today. The film deals with World War I combat through the eyes of the enemy (the Germans). For the first time ever it was realized how heartbreaking war really is, for all involved. One key message within the film is that innocence cannot survive on the battlefield. War is an awful thing that has no true winners, just losers. Brilliant performances from all involved make the film believable and accurate for the most part. A very young Lew Ayres is the best as his story creates tension for the entire film. This is perhaps the first film that proved that the cinema could be a truly imperative medium. The film was scorned by many in the U.S. as some thought that showing the Germans as sympathetic characters was in poor taste. Germans hated the film because of its anti-war message. Hitler was about to become a world power and he wanted all Germans to be excited and enthusiastic about combat. This film goes against those ideals. The Academy was brave enough and smart enough to award the film with the Best Picture Oscar in 1930 and Lewis Milestone became the first multiple Oscar winner in the directing category. "All Quiet on the Western Front" has the storyline of Malick's "The Thin Red Line" and the action and drama of Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan". An overwhelming film experience. 5 stars out of 5.
- How long is All Quiet on the Western Front?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Mặt Trận Phía Tây Vẫn Yên Tĩnh
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,200,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 32 minutes
- Color
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content